JP2537598B2 - Transfer device for a packet that forms a substantially parallelepiped - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transfer device for a packet having a substantially parallelepiped shape, and more particularly to a transfer device for disposing a packet such as a cigarette between two machines.

(Prior Art) In the prior art, a machine for packaging a packet of cigarettes and a machine for further wrapping a cigarette are connected via a conveyor, and the difference in processing speed between the two machines is adjusted along the conveyor. A puddle is provided.

In the conventional conveyor device, if the throughputs of the two machines are perfectly synchronized, the packets produced by the packaging machine are sent in a line to the wrapping machine. If either of the two machines is stopped or slowed down, the packets are either sent to the pool or retrieved from the pool as needed, group by group.

For example, when using a "tower" puddle, a plurality of packets during temporary storage are transferred from the conveyor to the lower end of the puddle by an extruding member and stacked in the puddle. As a result, the relatively high height of the puddle puts pressure on the packet of cigarettes and risks damage.

It is also known to have a pool composed of a closed-type conveyor belt provided at several places above the conveyor, and a plurality of wall portions are firmly fixed to the conveyor belt, and a compartment for accommodating a packet group with two wall portions is provided. Separated.

If the throughputs of the two machines are synchronized, the packets traveling to the conveyor pass through the compartment of the puddle. When the machines are out of sync, for example when the lapping machine is stopped, the conveyor belt rotates around the end rollers, removing a plurality of packets from the conveyor and moving a new empty compartment into the trajectory of the packets. Conversely, when the wrapping machine is stopped, the conveyor belt rotates about the end rollers in the opposite direction, delivering a compartment containing a plurality of packets to the conveyor upper position.

The packet being temporarily stored is held in each compartment by a packet fixing and adjusting winding cylinder provided around the pool and having a gap near the supply conveyor.

This type of puddle not only has the drawback that the belts and bands may wear during long-term use and hinder operation, but it is also defective in that it cannot handle tobacco packets softly during temporary storage and transfer to a conveyor. There is.

It is known that when a group of packets is taken out of the pool and transported, the packets come into contact with the end of the fixing adjustment means and the edge of the conveyor, and are particularly susceptible to damage in the case of a soft pack.

In the conventional device, there is a further risk of the packet being damaged at the point where the conveyor penetrates into the puddle. The stopping means operates at this location, and the stopping means is constituted by, for example, a vibrating bar or a take-out means, and stops the flow of the packet completed from each group and sent from the packaging machine. It shows a fairly vigorous movement such that a group of packets can be extracted from the to the pool.

It is also known that if the packets are slightly different in size, there will be differences in the longitudinal dimension of each group, which may extend from the end of the compartment and interfere with the fixed components as the pool rotates. ing.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which overcomes the various drawbacks of the prior art, i.e. a transfer device without the risk of damaging the packets by the movement of the puddle or the movement of the stopping means along the conveyor.

(Means for Solving the Problem) The present invention relates to an apparatus for transferring packets having a substantially parallelepiped shape between a machine that supplies these packets and a machine that receives the packets. And a substantially parallel conveyor, which has a substantially cylindrical pool having shafts parallel to the conveyor and having circumferentially-angled and equally-spaced radial compartments, which is substantially tangent to and above the conveyor. A reservoir for arranging the conveyor defining the bottom wall of the lower compartment, means for intermittently rotating the reservoir about its axis, and means for blocking packets at both ends of the lower compartment Achieved by and. The device according to the invention comprises a connecting bridge which is arranged near the lower compartment between the edge of the conveyor and the intake end of the adjusting means and which can occupy first and second positions for determining the direction of rotation of the pool. , Reciprocating motion in parallel with the axis of the pool between the inner and outer positions of the lower compartment, operating under the control of the detection means in the vicinity of the intake end of the lower compartment with respect to the forward movement direction of the conveyor Means for retrieving each possible packet one by one.

(Examples) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings of preferred examples, but the examples do not limit the present invention.

With reference to the drawings, a transfer device 1 is arranged between a packing machine 3 for supplying a packet and a wrapping machine 4 for receiving the packet, and constitutes means for supplying a packet 2 of cigarettes.

The wrapping machine 3 and the wrapping machine 4 are connected by horizontal conveyors 5 and 6 by closed belts, and the conveyors operate on rollers 7 and 8 arranged in order.

The axis is parallel to the conveyors 5 and 6, and the substantially cylindrical pool 13 supported by the bottom member 14 via the two upright members 15 and 16 on the left and right is disposed on the upper part of the conveyors 5 and 6, The upper branches 9 and 10 of the conveyor move in contact with the guide members 11 and 12 (see also FIG. 2).

More specifically, the upright members 15 and 16 are the bell members 1
Puddle 13 formed by covers 26,27 closing 7,18
Is fixed to the longitudinal end of the. Also, bell members 17, 18
Are coaxial with the reservoir 13 and each concave surface faces outward, and the two bell members are connected by a shaft 19 which is coaxial with this and which rotatably supports the hollow shaft 20. ing.

The left and right ends 21 and 22 of the hollow shaft 20 are formed by flanges and are fixed in a cylindrical body 23 that houses the bell members 17 and 18 and the shaft 19.

A plurality of partition members 24 having an L-shaped cross section and protruding arms in the radial direction are attached to the outer surface of the cylindrical body 23 (see also FIG. 2). The partition member 24 is a cylindrical body 23.
The radial compartments 25 for accommodating a predetermined number of packets 2 in groups are defined for each pair by being provided at regular intervals over the entire surface of the.

A motor speed reducer 28, which is attached to a cover 27 and rotates in the forward and reverse directions, is housed in the rear inside, and a continuous rotary motion is intermittently provided via an output shaft 29 parallel to the shaft 19. It drives a known device (not shown) which converts it into a rotary movement. This device is housed in a box 30 fixed to the bottom of the bell member 18 and the output shaft 29
Has a second output shaft 31 parallel to.

The second output shaft 31 projecting from the bell member 18 transmits an intermittent rotary motion via a gear 32 whose free end meshes with the inner teeth of a toothed crown 33 integral with the hollow shaft 20.

As a result of the above-mentioned motion conversion connection, the cylindrical body 2 is rotated every time the output shaft 29, which is called the periodic shaft, rotates 360 degrees continuously.
After the 3 stops, it will rotate by the angle formed by the two adjacent compartments.

More specifically, in FIG. 2 and according to the following description, the clockwise movement corresponds to the temporary storage of a group of packets 2 located on the conveyors 5, 6, while the counterclockwise movement The movement corresponds to the movement of a group of packets 2 to the conveyors 5,6.

The adjusting winding cylinder 34 surrounding the cylindrical body 23 is a compartment.
An opening is formed between the two end portions 36, 37 which form a boundary in the radial direction of 25 and are located above the conveyors 5, 6.

The end 37 is substantially adjacent to one edge of the upper branches 9,10, while the end 36 is separated from the upper branches 9,10 by a distance approximately the width of one compartment 25, the entire length of the pool 13. Branch with 38 connected blitches across
It is consecutive with 9,10. The connecting bridge 38 is pivotally supported at a middle point of the upper end portion of the arm 41 via a pin 40 parallel to the shaft 19.
A guide member having a lower end through a pin 42 parallel to the shaft 19
The projection 39 is pivotally supported on a support means composed of a fork 43 integrated with the shaft 11.

Reference numeral 44 denotes an actuator attached to the fork 43, and the output shaft 45 of the actuator 44 performs reciprocating motion in the vertical direction and engages with the bottom portion of the connecting bridge 38. The coil spring 46 disposed between the protrusion 39 and the fork 43 acts as a component that faces the movement of the output shaft 45 on the connecting bridge 38.

On the side of the conveyors 5 and 6, the intermediate point of the arm 41 and the fork 43 are connected by the index coil spring 47.

The push button of the microswitch 48, which is part of a safety device whose function is described below, stops the entire plant and is located on the track of the arm 41 opposite the index coil spring 47.

As a result of the connection method as described above, the connection bridge 38 has two different positions, namely a low position where the end faces the conveyors 5 and 6 lower than the upper branches 9 and 10, and the end part is the upper branch. You can take two positions, higher than 9,10.

Above the intake end defined by the upper branches 9, 10 at the bottom of the compartment 25, a take-out means 49 for taking out the packet 2 is arranged. The take-out means 49 is attached to one end of a shaft 50 which is parallel to the shaft 19 and axially slidable in a support portion 51 which is integral with the bell member 18.

The other end of shaft 50 is connected to one end of lever 52. Also, the upper end of the lever 52 is a bell member with a pin 53.
Drum cam pivotally mounted on 18 and engaged with output shaft 29
It is located in the middle zone of the rollers that slide in 54 orbits.

The above motion conversion connection enables the shaft 50 to reciprocate in the axial direction via the support portion 51, and as a result, each time the output shaft 29 makes one complete turn, the take-out means 49 is placed at the bottom of the reservoir 13. After moving from one end of the reciprocating stroke on the intake end of the compartment 25 to the other end of the reciprocating stroke located outside the compartment 25, it returns to its original position.

The take-out means 49 has two grip arms 55 and 56 extending substantially vertically toward the conveyor 5, and has an elastic member 57 at its lower end or take-out end.

The grip arm 56 is integral with the shaft 50, and the arm is rotatably mounted on a pin 58 parallel to the shaft 50 and mounted on the other grip arm 56.

Grip arm 56 is the actuator on shaft 50
59, whose horizontal output shaft 60 is a spring wound on a pin 58
It engages with the upper end of the grip arm 55 against the action of 61.

Two shut-off means 62, 63 for the packet 2 are arranged in the lower compartment 25 near the intake / extraction end. Each of the blocking means 62, 63 is formed by an arm 64 pivotally supported by a pin 65 parallel to the shaft 19, and has a plate 66 at its free end. The arm 64 is driven by an actuator (not shown) from the disengaged position where each plate does not block the transfer path of the packet 2 supported by the conveyors 5 and 6, and each plate 66 moves from the disengagement end to the lower compartment 25. Position (shown by the dotted line in Fig. 2)
It is possible to move up to.

In operation, if the wrapping machine 3 and the wrapping machine 4 are completely synchronized, the packet 2 coming out from the wrapping machine 3
Is the lower compartment 25 of the dormant pool 13
And advances on conveyors 5 and 6 to reach the lapping machine 4.

When the wrapping machine 4 is stopped, the wrapping machine 4 supplies a drive signal for detecting the flow of the packet 2 at the take-out end of the compartment 25 to the photocell 67, and the photocell 67 controls the cutoff means 62. .

The command to close the trajectory of packet 2 by blocking means 62 is issued immediately after photocell 67 confirms that packet 2 is not in its control area.

The plate 66 is then free to move to a position that closes the bottom of the lower compartment 25 without obstructing the packet 2 being fed. Packets 2 are sequentially adjoined from the wrapping machine 3 and the lower compartment 25 is filled up and gathers.

The detection means by the photocell 68 provided at the intake end of the compartment 25 detects the loading state of the compartment 25, and outputs the output shaft 29 via the actuator 59.
A synchronous cam 69 mounted on the gripper 55 (see FIG. 1) can be used to close the grip arms 55 and 56 of the take-out means 49. At this time, the take-out means 49 is at rest at the end point of the reciprocating process located above the take-in end of the lower compartment 25.

Meanwhile, the photocell 68 also supplies a signal for starting the motor speed reducer 28 having a preset rotation direction.

The motion conversion provided by the drum cam 54 and the lever 52 causes the output shaft 29 of the motor reducer 28 to move the shaft 50 of the take-out means 49 parallel to the upper branch 9 and in the opposite direction.

Subsequently, the last part of the group of packets 2 in the lower compartment 25 is taken out from the compartment 25 while being gently sandwiched between the grip arms 55 and 56.

As soon as the take-out means 49 comes to the outer end of the reciprocating process position, the synchronous cam 70 mounted on the output shaft 29 causes the shut-off means 63.
The blocking means 63 inserts the plate 66 into the orbit of the packet 2 without damaging the last part of the packet 2 in the group.

After this operation, the take-out means 49 reopens the grip arms 55, 56 under the control of the synchronizing cam 71 fixed to the output shaft 29 and returns to the position above the take-in end of the lower compartment 25. On the other hand, the packets 2 coming out of the packaging machine 3 are gathered in order facing the plate 66.

The constant angle reciprocating movement of the output shaft 29, which is carried out before the process operation of taking out the last packet of the group of packets 2, corresponds to the rest period of the second output shaft 31 which carries out the discontinuous rotation movement.

During the rest period of the second output shaft 31, known detection means 72, which is able to sense the direction of rotation of the output shaft 29, supplies a control signal to an actuator 44 connected to the connecting bridge 38. In this state, as a result of the output shaft 45 of the actuator 44 retracting, the edge of the connecting bridge 38 facing the conveyors 5 and 6 comes to a position lower than the upper branches 9 and 10, while the adjusting winding cylinder 34 side. The edge of the coil is at the same height as the end 36 on the intake side of the winding cylinder.

The movement stage of the second output shaft 31 starts only when the shut-off means 63 is closed, so that the pool 13 is clockwise about the shaft as seen in FIG.
It will rotate by the included angle formed by two adjacent compartments 25.

Following this rotation, the group of packets 2 between the two shut-off means 62,63 is carried on the connecting bridge 38 by the conveyors 5,6, while the empty compartment 25 is placed on the upper branches 9,10. Will be located.

If the lapping machine 4 is still clogged after the above-mentioned temporary storage operation, while the blocking means 62 holds the closed position,
The blocking means 63 returns to the open position under the control of the synchronous cam mounted on the output shaft 29, and sends the packet 2 from the packaging machine 3 to the new compartment 25 in the reservoir to load the latter.

After the removal means 49 and the blocking means 63 have been activated in the manner described above, the puddle 13 moves a new group of packets 2 from the upper branches 9, 10 onto the connecting bridge 38 and the previously formed group into the connecting bridge 38. To a position on the adjusting winding drum 34.

If the lapping machine 4 continues to be clogged, the conveyor device continues to operate until the pool 13 is loaded to a predetermined level according to the method described above, and when the predetermined level is reached, the entire factory stops temporary work.

When the lapping machine 4 is operating normally and the packaging machine 3 is stopped, the latter sends a drive signal to the photocell 74, and under the control of the photocell 74, the blocking means 63 closes the intake end of the compartment 25. Come to position.

The motor reducer 28 of the pool 13 is driven by the photocell 74 to rotate in the opposite direction to the first rotation direction.

As in the previous case, the second output shaft 31, and thus the sump
In the initial stage of the rotation cycle of the output shaft 29 corresponding to the rest period of 13, the detection means 72 for detecting the rotation direction of the output shaft 29 sends a control signal to the actuator 44 to push the output shaft 45 out.

As a result, the connecting bridge 38 moves to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 2, and the edges of the conveyors 5 and 6 are located higher than the upper branches 9 and 10.

At the end of this rest period, when the second output shaft 31 rotates the pool 13 in the counterclockwise direction, the group of packets 2 will not come into contact with the edges of the upper branches 9,10, but from the connecting bridge 38 to the upper branches 9,10. Be carried to.

The conveyors 5 and 6 immediately send this group of packets 2 to the lapping machine 4.

When the packaging machine 3 continues to be stopped, it goes without saying that the above operation is repeated until the predetermined minimum production condition is achieved with the spare packet in the pool 13 and the entire factory is automatically suspended. Nor.

Only two limiting conditions for the operation of the puddle 13 have been considered, namely the stop of the supply machine and the stop of the wrapping machine 4 on the side of receiving the product, but the device of the present invention has a reduced processing capacity of either device. Even in this case, it is obvious that the control means for monitoring the production speeds of the two machines (the packaging machine 3 and the wrapping machine 4) can be used to perform either temporary storage or supply alternately.

Finally, it is assumed that the connecting bridge 38 is blocked at a position where the pool 13 is opened when the lapping machine 4 is in a rest state.

In this case, the above-mentioned safety device works as follows,
Prevents the packet 2 of cigarettes from being damaged.

When the cylindrical body 23 rotates clockwise, the packet 2 to be sent to the pool 13 comes into contact with the edge of the connecting bridge 38, and the connecting bridge 38 rotates counterclockwise about the pin 42 and elastically disengages. By this rotation, the arm 41 pushes the push button of the micro switch 48, and the whole factory is temporarily stopped.

The elastic properties of the index coil spring 47 are such that the connecting bridge 38 can be rotated about the pin 42 without crushing the packet 2.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the pin 40 is connected to the connecting bridge 38 and faces the end 36 of the adjusting winding cylinder 34.
Are arranged so that the edges of the pool are located at approximately the same height as the pool 13 takes different positions by the operation.

In another embodiment (not shown), the pin 40 is disposed substantially in the center of the lower portion of the connecting bridge 38. In this case, in the two operating states of the puddle 13, two longitudinal height drops are defined by the longitudinal edges of the connecting bridge 38 in the direction of rotation of the puddle 13. That is, in addition to the reduction in height with respect to the branches 9, 10, a second reduction in height with respect to the end 36 of the adjusting winding cylinder 34 is also defined.

In this embodiment, the safety device described for the temporary storage operation is used for the discharging operation, that is, the connecting bridge 38 is stopped at the temporary storage position while supplying the packet 2 to the conveyors 5 and 6, and the adjustment winding is used. It is also possible to prevent the packet 2 from being damaged when the edge on the body 34 side is higher than the end 36. In this case, after rotating the cylindrical body 23 counterclockwise, the group of packets 2 in the compartment 25 is brought into contact with the edge of the connecting bridge 38 on the end 36 side. This is done by rotating the arm 41 counterclockwise until it contacts the pushbutton of a microswitch (not shown), which causes the factory to pause.

(Effects of the Invention) From the above description, it is clear that the present invention can eliminate the risk of damaging a packet due to rotation of the puddle at both stages of temporary storage operation and supply operation of the puddle.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a schematic side view of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a detailed enlarged front view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an electromechanical control system of the device of the present invention. 2 …… Packet, 3 …… Packing machine 4 …… Wrap machine, 5,6 …… Conveyor 13 …… Stand, 23 …… Cylinder body 25 …… Compartment, 34 …… Adjusting cylinder 38 …… Coupling bridge, 49 …… Take-out means 62, 63 …… Shut-off means

Continuation of the front page (56) References Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 52-37378 (JP, A) Actually opened 49-85778 (JP, U) Actually opened 50-27897 (JP, U) Actually opened 61-119530 (JP , U) Japanese Patent Publication No. 50-7832 (JP, B1) Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-36933 (JP, B2) West German Patent Publication 1268060 (DE, A)

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. Horizontal conveyors (5, 6) connecting between a packaging machine (3) for supplying packets and a wrapping machine (4) for receiving packets.
And above the conveyors 5 and 6, which is rotatable about an axis parallel to it and is intermittently rotatable, and is wound around the cylindrical body 23 and the above-mentioned compartment 25 provided with compartments 25 arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The reservoir 13 having a cylindrical adjustment winding cylinder 34 having an opening on the conveyor 5, 6 side, and the cylindrical body 23.
The rotation driving means for intermittently rotating the shaft in the forward and reverse directions about its axis, the opening end of the adjusting winding cylinder 34 and the conveyor 5,
The conveyor 5, which is provided over the entire length of the adjusting winding cylinder 34 between the edge of 6 and the forward / reverse rotation direction of the pool 13,
A connecting bridge 38 capable of selectively taking a first position in which a side end facing 6 is located on the conveyor surface and a second position higher than that, and the compartment 25.
Of the packet having a substantially parallelepiped shape, which is provided in the vicinity of both ends of the lower part of the compartment, and is equipped with blocking means 62, 63 for individually blocking the transport of the packet in the trajectory in which the packet is transported. Transfer device. 2. The compartment 25 is characterized in that a plurality of partition members 24 having an L-shaped cross section and having arms protruding in the radial direction are attached to the outer surface of the cylindrical body 23 at regular intervals. A packet transfer device having a substantially parallelepiped shape according to claim 1. 3. The adjusting winding cylinder 34 surrounds the cylindrical body 23, forms a radial boundary of the compartment 25, and has an opening between both end portions 36, 37 located above the conveyors 5, 6. The packet transfer device having a substantially parallelepiped shape according to claim 1. 4. The connecting bridge 38 is swingably supported by a pin 40 parallel to the rotating shaft of the cylindrical body 23, and is engaged with the output shaft of an actuator 44 so that the connecting bridge 38 has the first position and the second position. The transfer device for a packet having a substantially parallelepiped shape according to claim 1, characterized in that the position can be selected. 5. The shut-off means 62, 63 are formed by an arm 64 pivotally supported by a pin 65 parallel to the rotation axis of the pool 13 and have a plate 66 at its free end. The substantially parallelepiped packet transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device is capable of appearing and retracting in a transfer track. 6. A horizontal conveyor 5, 6 connecting between a packaging machine 3 for supplying packets and a wrapping machine 4 for receiving packets.
And above the conveyors 5 and 6, which is rotatable about an axis parallel to it and is intermittently rotatable, and is wound around the cylindrical body 23 and the above-mentioned compartment 25 provided with compartments 25 arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The reservoir 13 having a cylindrical adjustment winding cylinder 34 having an opening on the conveyor 5, 6 side, and the cylindrical body 23.
The rotation driving means for intermittently rotating the shaft in the forward and reverse directions about its axis, the opening end of the adjusting winding cylinder 34 and the conveyor 5,
The conveyor 5, which is provided over the entire length of the adjusting winding cylinder 34 between the edge of 6 and the forward / reverse rotation direction of the pool 13,
A connecting bridge 38 capable of selectively taking a first position in which a side end facing 6 is located on the conveyor surface and a second position higher than that, and the compartment 25.
Of the lower compartment of the lower compartment 25 and the blocking means 62, 63 for blocking the packet transfer separately in the orbit where the packet is transferred, and the packet provided in the lower compartment 25. 2. A packet transfer device having a substantially parallelepiped shape, which is equipped with a take-out means 49 for taking out the packets one by one from the transfer trajectory of FIG. 7. The take-out means 49 has grip arms 55, 56 axially supported by a shaft 50 movable parallel to the rotation axis of the cylindrical body 23 and extending substantially vertically.
Is integral with the shaft 50, the other grip arm 55 is rotatable via the grip arm 56 and a pin 58, and biases the free end of the grip arm 55 toward the grip arm 56. 2 for the grip arm 55
7. The substantially parallelepiped-shaped packet transfer device according to claim 6, wherein the free ends of the one grip arm 55, 56 are engaged with the output shaft of the actuator 59 in the opening direction.